Thread: 8000 grit

I just bought a DMT 8000 grit diamond stone. I'm wondering if I can just use this stone to get to shaving sharp or will I still need to strop? I'm not good enough yet to know either way. If someone says that I can't, that will save me some time from even trying. I spent much of today trying to sharpen 3 razors. 2 I just won on E-bay and the other is causing me much frustration! I believe I got the 2 to shaving sharp, but will have to wait a few days for my stubble to re-appear. I stoned them all on the 8k stone, but they would not pass the HHT. I then stropped them for seemingly eternity! Finally they would sort of pass the HHT. The hair wouldn't POP, but it would drag and fall off. I have one razor that I shave with and the HHT does the same for it, so I'm pretty certain that they are sharp enough.

Anyway....so do I still need to strop after a 8k stone?

Thanks
Mark

you need to strop before EVERY shave. i haven't heard of many people making use of the 8000 grit DMT, but be aware that the HHT is not a good test of sharpness. a stone can pass the HHT off a 4000 (or lower) but it won't shave worth a darn.

a better test is to feel for a "sticky" feeling on the thumb pad test.

Just be aware that the DMT plate is a very hard and fast cutter, a little bit of "oops" can set you back a ways by grinding off the edge.

markheit,

DC is right: those diamond hones work fast! I got a DMT 325 grit plate from Howard at ThePerfectEdge to use as a lapping tool for my odd lot stones. Now these stones were used to sharpen razors by the old timers and now hopefully by me. The DMT made them all flat very quickly - and these are used to take steel off very hard razors. This implies a bottom line of using great caution if using the DMT to refine a razor's edge.

good luck, Bruce

Well, I can't do the HHT with just the stone. I was amazed that I couldn't pass the HHT with a 8k stone. I've tried light, and medium pressure, but I still have a difficult time getting my razors to that next level. I could only get them there by stropping. Maybe its my stropping? I have a four side paddle loaded with different diamond grits. There is 4k, 14k, 50k and 100k. I think I went overboard with the last two. I should of probably went with like 1k, 4k, 6k and 10k. It seems like I have to strop forever! Heck, even still I haven't been able to shave with any of these razors.
Luckily, I bought a shave ready one off ebay and its still sharp. Other wise 'd be looking for my Mach (gulp!). All my razors will easily shave hair off my arm, but not stubble off my face. They pull it off and not even completely. This has become VERY frustrating for me. My wife can attest as to how much time I spend stropping and honing!

HELP.......

markheit,

This will be of no help to you in your attempts to climb to the next step of honing competence, but I will offer my comment neverthess. I can't cut a hanging hair even with a professionally honed blade. My hair is quite fine and laughs at the razor; I can almost hear the . Now were I to hone commando, perhaps I could harvest other hair for the job. Instead I've gone to denuding my forearms; it saves the hurried scramble to answer the door.

Bruce